Device for operating electric switches



No. 607,830. Patented luly 26, I898. J; H. CARY.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

(App1ication filed Jan. 8, 1896.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 607,830. Patented July 26, I898. J. H. CARY.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

(Application filed Jan. 8, l 896.) (N 0 M o d e l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED ST T S rrrcn.

PATE T JAMES H. CARY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,830, dated July 26,1898.

Application filed January 8, 1 896. Serial No. 574,690. (No model.)

T0 (2% whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. CARY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices forOperating Switches, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon.

My invention relates to devices for operating switches, &c., at adistance remote from a central station, so that the necessary con tactmay be made to complete an electric circuit and cause to be operatedthereby a signal or cause the operation of any electromechanical deviceadapted to be so operated.

The invention is especially applicable to telephone systems where it isdesired to provide an individual call for separate stations upon thesame line. Y

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, positive, andaccurately operating device by which signals may be operated, such asbells rung, &c., or other mechanical contrivances caused to operate at adistance remote from a central station; and my invention consists in ameans of accomplishing the desired result by the employment of anapparatus of the electromotor type; and it further consists in thegeneral construction and arrangement herein set out whereby thebeneficial advantages are attained."

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of referenceindicate like parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device as seen from the end of thearmature carrying the commutator. Fig. 2 is a side view of the rotaryarmature. Fig. 3 is a view of the switch-ring, showing the operativeparts acting therewith; and Fig. 4. is a diagrammatic illustrationshowing four stations and illustrating the relative positions occupiedby each switch-ring when one of the calls is being sounded.

In detail, a indicates the armature-coil; b, armature-plates; c, thecommutator; d, fieldmagnets of the electromagnetic type; e, aswitch-ring mounted upon the armature-journal; f, contact-plates onthesWitch-ring; g, brushes bearing against the periphery of thecommutator; h, contact-springs arranged to bear against thecontact-pieces f when the switch-ring e is rotated; 2', an adjusting-screw; j, a stop; k, a tension-spring, and Z a tensionscrew.

Inthe drawings I have illustrated in Fig. 3 a call-bell m and a battery'11., and in Figs. 1 and 3 I have shown in diagram conducting Wires orlines.

The electromagnets and armatures are of the well-known motor type.

.When a current of the designated or predetermined and proper strengthand polarity is passed through the coils of the electromagnet d, it Willcause a rotation of the armature.

-The extent of rotation of the armature is determined by a suitable stopmechanism such, for instance, as a set-screw and stoppin j. It is to beunderstood, however, that the stop mechanism is arranged to stop therotation of the switch-ring after it has gone beyond its contact-makingposition, so that when the switch-ring is stopped by the stop mechanismthe contact-springs 7L will rest on insulation.

It will readily be seen that if the contactsprings h be properlyadjusted with reference to the contact-plates f upon the switch-ring ethe necessary connection will be made, so that the supplementary currentwill pass through and sound the signal or operate such other deviceadapted to be operated thereof.

If the switch-rings are made adjustable on the journals, thecontact-pieces f can be arranged at different points relatively to eachother, so that no two shall be in contact at the same time.

If a current having sufficient intensity to rotate the armatures acertain distance be passed through the motor, it will cause each one ofthe armatures to rotate to that extent, provided the stop mechanism doesnot restrain some of the armatures from rotating to that degree, and ifstation 1. be the station desired to call a current of the requisiteintensity to rotate the armature and with it its switch-ring to theextent required by station 1, thus making the necessary contact betweenthe springs h and connecting the circuit through the supplementarybattery or, and thus sounding the call-bell m.

The free movement of the armature will be limited to the proper degreeby the actionof the retractile spring 70. For instance, a relativelylight or weak current Will pull the armature forward sufficiently tomake contact on the point which would operate the auxiliary mechanism atstation 1; but this would not be sufficient to cause it to make contactat station 2.

In order to operate station 2, the current would be increased to such adegree as to f urther overcome the action of the retractile spring, thuspulling the armatures still farther forward, and passing the point ofcontact for station 1 would thus make station 2 the only one wherein theauxiliary mechanism would be operative.

The movement of the contact-pieces upon the switch-ring while passingthose at which they are not brought at rest will be so rapid that thesignal connected with that station will not be sounded. As has beforebeen stated, the stop mechanism is so arranged as tobring thecontact-pieces upon the switchring to rest after they have passed thestationary contact-springs h, so that the stations which are not calledthe contact-pieces of the switch-ring are not in contact with thecontact-springs. If the polarity be changed, it will be seen that thecapacity of the system is doubled, so that the operation to actuatestations 3 and 45 would be precisely the same as for stations 1 and 2,except that the polarity of the current sent to line would be reversed,thus making stations 3 and 4 free to operate, while stations 1 and 2would be held inoperative by the back contact-screw.

The system is preferably arranged in parallel, and any means ofsupplying the requisite electric energy may be employed.

I do not limit the number of stations to be operated on a line to four;but this number is sufficient to show the principle involved, which itis evident can be extended with the requisite graduations'of current andproper adjustment of parts.

I do not confine myself to a commutator, but employ it in theaccompanying drawings for the purpose of illustration, it being obviousthat the same result in regard to the partial rotation of the armaturecan be obtained by contact-springs bearing upon the ends of thearmature-journals in the usual well-known manner. I can also operateupon the same line with the above-described apparatus a magneto-bell ofthe ordinary well-known form of construction such as is in general useupon telephone-lines, such bell being adapted to be operated only byrapidlyalternating currents.

By preference I place the instruments designed to be actuated by theweaker current nearest to the central or operating station, so that acurrent of low potentialsay from ten to fifteen voltswill be sure tooperate those of this class, and a current of between fifty andseventy-five volts may be used on the instruments of the second class orthose requiring a greater movement of the armatures to bring them intoposition to close the contact-points of the local circuit, thus giving asufficient range of potential to obviate the liability of confusionoccurring owing to the possible inaccurate operation of the machines.-

To render the device effective in the calling of station 2 and at thesame time to avoid calling station 1, I take advantage of the principleexplained in my patent of July 17, 1883, No. 281,450, wherein it isshown that a vibrating bell can be so adjusted that the rapid movementof the contact-points carried on the contact-Wheel or circular switchwill not cause it to ring, since it would take a longer continuation ofthe actuating-current to bring the bell into full vibration, and thuscause the bell-hammer to strike the gong. I also in my patent datedJanuary 6, 1885, No. 310,379, show the ordinary form of magnetobellconnected in series with the others and described the action of thealternating and direct currents upon the same. The same principleapplies in the present case. Ihave also fully shown and described inpatent dated July 17, 1883, means of furnishing and applying the propercurrents for ringing the various bells.

Having therefore described my invention, whatI claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a source of electrical energy; suitableconductors; means for switching in a predetermined amount of electricalenergy; one or more rotary electromagnetic motors in the circuit; aswitch-ring or equivalent device operated by the electromagnetic motorand a supplementary or derived circuit made or broken at will by theoperation of the switch-ring, substantially as and for the purposesstated.

2. The combination of a source of electrical energy; suitableconductors; means to switch in a predetermined quantity of electricenergy; a series of rotary electromagnetic motors; a switch-ringarranged to rotate with the armature of the electromotor; means to limitthe extent of revolution; a supplementary circuit containing a signal orother operative device; suitable contact-springs hand contact-pointsmounted upon the switch-ring to complete the supplementary circuit,substantially as and for the purposes stated.

3. The combination of a source of electrical energy; suitableconductors; one or more electromagnetic motors having armatures free tomove to a certain predetermined point without intermittent motion; meansto reverse the current; a contact-piece operated by the armature;contact-springs h arranged to contact with the contact-points on thecontact-piece; a supplementary circuit connected with thecontact-springs and means to prevent movement of the contact-piecebeyond a predetermined point, substantially as and for the purposesstated.

4. The combination of a source of elec- IIO trical energy; suitableconductors; an elec trolnotor having a rotating armature; a

switch-ring e mounted to rotate with the armature and havingcontact-points f; means to limit the rotation of the switch-ring, and asupplementary circuit made or broken by the revolution of theswitch-ring, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

5. The combination of a source of elec- 1o trical energy; anelectromotor having a rotary armature; a switch-ring e mounted toWitnesses:

ALLEN WEBSTER, BENJ. FRAGNANT.

